Notice in the following report that captain Pilot wants a team who are presently good, not players who have the potential to be good in the future. So far, neither any selector noor any BCB personnel has said such words.

Team preparation not up to the mark

Pilot seeks support to overcome bad patch

UNB, Dhaka

National cricket captain Khaled Masud Pilot has given more emphasis on performance of the team in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy rather than dreaming of a future success.

"We need to overcome the team's present frustrating show and I believe we'll be able to do so by utilising our potentials," Pilot said while talking to the news agency about their preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka.

"I want to play with my best players, no mater who is veteran and who is young," Pilot said adding that he is not with the idea that the national team would be built up eyeing only on the future.

Adding Pilot, "I think there are players in the A team apart from cricketers of different age groups with whom we can think of the future. But now the national side should be formed for immediate results."

He parried a question when asked to comment whether he needs to be involved more in the selection process of the national team.

About his target in the tournament, Pilot said, "I think it's not wise to say that we will beat the two formidable teams - Australia and New Zealand.

"But our target is to show a better performance as per our potentials."

He recognised that Bangladesh team is passing through a bad time in the international cricket, as his players are unable to learn from their mistakes and fail to show their hundred percent potentials.

Pilot, a wicket-keeper-cum-batsman, said they need all-out support from every quarter right at the moment to overcome the bad patch. "Have patience, I think we'll be able to overcome it soon.

"Team effort is more important right now than individual performance as everybody looks for what the team has done, not an individual," Pilot said.

He said everybody would have to work hard with the national team because they are going to face tough teams in their next appearances.

In the coming months, the Bangladesh team is going to play the Proteas in ODI and Test series, play home series against West Indies and visit Australia for one-day and Test series and will play the World Cup 2003 in South Africa.

He underlined the importance of psychological support for his players to come out of the jinx as they are repeating mistakes because of their mental pressure.

About his team's preparation, Pilot expressed dissatisfaction over their match practice and said they had to suffer a lot because of unprepared pitch in the BKSP.

"We went to residential camp in BKSP on August 20 but there was no prepared pitch for batting practice," he said. The Bangladesh team leaves for Sri Lanka tomorrow to take part in the ICC Champions Trophy, beginning on September 12.

They will take on world champions Australia on September 19 and face reigning champions of the tournament New Zealand on September 23 in the first round matches.